Sonesta Essential Augusta

The staff was friendly and hotel was relatively clean. However, the hotel reeked of cigarette smoke in the halls and in our room. In our room, the tv did not work, the sink did not drain, and there was no hot water to take a shower. The room was also missing one of the night stands.

Staff nice

We were given a room with the lock falling off the door. The entire hotel is in terrible condition. Will never stay there again nor recommend anyone to. The staff was nice, but the facility was disgusting.

I get it - it’s Masters week, so $400 a night is par for the course. But this was the worst hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. Several things missing upon check-in: towels, cups and 3 lamps not working. When we looked closer, the sink fawcet filter wasn’t there, causing a waterfall of water to burst out. The fire suppression sprinkler was covered in tape, causing it to be impossible to work after a recent remodel (I’d hate to see it pre-remodel!) and the bed frame made some weird noises every time we moved around. Also the complimentary breakfast buffet was sparse at best, empty at worst. Last but not least, when we returned from dinner, they sold all the parking spots for $20 to partying patrons at the bar down the street. When we asked for some compensation after citing all of the issues, we were told no, that it’s Masters week, and we could basically pound sand.

The hotel appears to be under revitalization by the owners. The room we stayed in was very good. It looked to have recently been updated. The beds were okay, the air conditioner was great. It was a nice room and we were happy to have it. We had to ask for extra towels and washcloths. The TV was very blurry but we were not in the room long enough for that to be much of a factor. The exterior of the building is in need of cosmetic updates. Also, the common areas are also in need of updating. Based on what the owners have done with the rooms I expect this is in their plans. You have to drive through the Heritage Inn parking lot to get to the Sonesta Essential. This is not ideal and was concerning at first. After a certain hour, I wouldn't have wanted to walk alone through one to get to the other, but that is not the Sonesta's fault, they cannot control the Heritage Inn. The Sonesta is near to several restaurants and if you are willing to drive 5-10 minutes there is pretty much anything you could want nearby. Overall we had a very good experience at the Sonesta Essential in Augusta. For sure there is work to do but the rooms are very good and I am sure the rest of the property will be improved as well.